I have my Garmin Vista C and I'm used to having pretty detailed 7.5 minute maps or 1:50,000 DMA's. Are the Garmin Topo maps my only recourse? Are there better maps because Garmin's little demo wasn't that impressive. Or do I still have to carry paper maps like I'm really used to?

I started with a basic yellow e-trex with no maps....just followed the little arrow for about a year...thought that was the fun of it.
I like the Garmin topo for lakes and islands.
Now with gas the way it is, for caching I use Garmin City Select....lot better for auto-routing if you have it. Microsoft streets & trips is nice also, for the pc or laptop. I think 7.5 minute paper maps would be overkill, 'cept for some really remote caches with substantial hiking required._________________...formerly 'dachebo'.

I dunno what the status of caching is going to be when the prices of gass keep going up. I guess 'geocahehpooling' and splitting the money for gas is going to have to be the way to go. I can navigate the bus routes in the metro but I dunno if I want to bus out to Minnetonka and Wayzata to find caches.